The youngest rider to win a stage and lead the overall standings at the 100th edition of the Corsa Rosa, the Colombian is looking forward to his spell in the maglia rosa.
Wind was expected to cause havoc and be a game-changer in the final kilometers of Giro d'Italia stage 3, and Quick-Step Floors – who throughout the years has made a name as masters of the echelons – stepped forward when it happened, with ten kilometers to go, smashing the peloton and helping Fernando Gaviria take his maiden Grand Tour victory, which came with a huge bonus: the race's maglia rosa.
Monday morning, before going for a training ride, the 22-year-old Colombian sat down and talked of the team's beautifully executed move and his special moment: "It was nice to wake up this morning in Sicily and see the pink jersey there, in my room, together with all the other things the team had prepared for me. When I put on everything to go for training I felt that I'm the leader of the Giro, because I needed some time to let things sink in. Last night, I thought a lot about what we did as a team; it was really impressive and I'm sure nobody will forget the way Quick-Step Floors sparked that move and left their mark on the last Sardinian stage."
Ever since picking up cycling, Fernando was supported by his family, who helped him find his way in the sport and make one step at a time to fulfill his dream of becoming a pro, and Sunday afternoon, in Cagliari, they got to share his joy of coming out on the top on one of cycling's biggest stages: "Yesterday's victory is the most important of my career and to win this stage in front of my mother, father and sister made me very happy. I love having my family here, their presence boosted my morale and it gives me huge joy to know they'll spend some more days in the race, following me. Without their help, I wouldn't have been the person I am today."
Giro d'Italia will resume on Tuesday, when the general classification riders are expected to come to the fore and shake up things on Mount Etna, which was last visited six years ago. On the tough slopes of Europe's tallest volcano, which the ancient Greeks believed that housed the forges of Hephaestus, Fernando's spell in the pink jersey will come to an end, but that doesn't mean the young Colombian will not savor his day.
"I know it will be impossible for me to defend the maglia rosa, but nevertheless I will enjoy having it on my shoulders. It's a huge honor to race with this famed jersey and show it to all the fans. We'll see what else the race will bring, but for now all I want is to live to the fullest every second of this special moment", concluded Fernando Gaviria.
Photo credit: ©BrakeThrough Media
